


Healthy

by blackteeth0



Category: Babylon 5
Genre: Conversations, Interspecies Relationship(s), M/M, nebulous time frame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2015-03-23
Packaged: 2018-03-17 01:12:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3509636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackteeth0/pseuds/blackteeth0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are many layers to this relationship, and many of them are ridiculous. The rest are a little dangerous, largely complicated, and still quite raw. It's healthy to laugh at as many as one can, once in a while.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Healthy

**Author's Note:**

> Set vaguely while G'Kar is Londo's bodyguard on Centauri Prime. Some ideas I had a while ago about alien relationships and some of the heavy stuff that's contained in Londo and G'Kar in general. It's light, but it's a thin veneer of light covering some larger things. I figured it was better to just do this than fuss about where they are in a timeline. Screwing around is what fanfiction and science fiction are for.

 

“So is that it?”

 

“I made an assumption, that is all. I was a bit surprised to learn that you had interests beyond the female.”

 

“Eh.” Mollari shrugs one shoulder and the satiny robe he's thrown around himself catches what little light makes it into the room. “I could say the same for you.  We live in a universe large enough for someone to have a different species in their bed every night for the rest of their lives if they wished.”  He pauses and his nose and forehead wrinkle as he considers what he's said.  “How well that would really work is, um...”  He shakes his head and his hair waves with the motion.  “Well. Logistics is perhaps not the point here.  What I mean is: at a certain point, what names are given to which alien arrangement of alien parts makes little difference.  The fact that we are alien to each other is the significant part of this.  Male or female or anything else should be a few steps below that, I think, if they play any part at all. Who should be bothered by _what type_ of Narn I associate with when the larger issue is that you are a Narn at all?”

 

“This is a surprising philosophy for a Centauri to have! I'm impressed.” G'Kar props his elbow up on the ornate metal headboard of the bed and Mollari smirks at him. “Who did you steal it from?”

 

“It is my own, thank you!” Mollari elbows him in the ribs, which, had G'Kar been Centauri, may have hit something significantly more painful.  “It is not a _Centauri_ philosophy, it is a _Londo Mollari_ one.”

 

G'Kar leans close to Mollari's face and squints as though inspecting a tiny insect under glass.  “Mmm, this one seems capable of independent thought.  Fascinating. Suddenly, it seems I am no longer concerned about the freakish alien arrangement of its freakish alien parts.”

 

“Shut up! I did not say _'freakish',_ and you weren't ' _concerned'_ earlier!" Mollari shoves him, but he's smiling.  Sharp teeth that, when visible, should be a threat indicator on any other sensible species just mean this particular alien is having a good time.

 

G'Kar laughs and brushes Mollari away.  There's a trick to knowing when to bite back and when to let things settle with Mollari.  Of late, the smallest things inspire strong reactions, and, as Mollari has helpfully pointed out, no matter how much time they have spent together, they are still alien to each other.  Even G'Kar does not always judge the reaction correctly. This time, however, it seems casual dismissal is the right response.  Mollari drops the feigned hostility and laughs with G'Kar rather than prodding him further.

 

There are many layers to this relationship, and many of them are ridiculous. The rest are a little dangerous, largely complicated, and still quite raw. It's healthy to laugh at as many as one can, once in a while.

 

The way things are now, it is perhaps healthiest to find something to laugh at at all.

 

“Talking of freakish-”

 

G'Kar frowns. “Oh, let's not.”

 

“No, no,” Mollari insists, “you opened this, you're going to suffer it.”

 

“Fine. What is it?” G'Kar sighs, resigned.

 

“I was just thinking, while we talk of  _interest_ and the like, isn't it  _you_ with the strange taste? A  _Narn_ widely known to be attracted to  _Centauri?_ ”

 

“Says the Centauri happily in bed with said Narn.”

 

Mollari flaps his hand dismissively. “Yes, yes, we have already discussed me and my incredible capacity for philosophy.  But  _you!_   I would think that you'd find us all--” He stops abruptly, blinks, and then the joke is gone.  G'Kar tilts his head, inviting more, and Mollari sighs, finishing somewhat reluctantly.  “That the association would be too strong.”

 

This happens frequently lately, this little play of Mollari realizing part way through some outburst or another that he's going to say something with unfortunate implications.  Ever since they found themselves on the same side and the same planet, their relationship had changed because they had.  Now Mollari discovers kernels of what he's been everywhere.  It's good – and even healthy- that he is catching himself still carrying his people's centuries old poison.  It's almost exhausting to watch him encounter it over and over, however, even as G'Kar wants to be smug about it, even as it is heartening that Mollari is able to prove all on his own that he's not an irredeemable monster down to his bones.

 

Mollari is not the Centauri Republic any more than G'Kar is the entire Narn Regime. Still, he needs frequent reminders that G'Kar does not think them synonymous.

 

“My … _interest_ in your people is obviously not causing any problems,” G'Kar says lightly.

 

Mollari brightens immediately in response to G'Kar's casual mood, and a hint of the original jab returns to his voice.  G'Kar has made the right decision again.   _“Your_ people would think you a bit of a deviant if you weren't so important.”

 

“Oh, that doesn't stop them, I'm sure. Your people must do the same thing.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Of course. Think of it: Centauri Prime Minister, second only to the Emperor, presumably respected or at least politely tolerated by millions, leader of the people.” He pauses, watches Mollari raise an eyebrow, and then punctuates it all with, “Shares a bed with a Narn.”

 

Mollari smirks, it spreads into a grin, and there the teeth are again. “Oh, don't stop there. Let's lay out the full details of my  _deviance_ , eh?  Centauri Prime Minister sleeps with Narn  _religious icon._ ”

 

G'Kar groans and covers his face with his hands. “Oh,  _no,_ I wish you wouldn't mention that.”

 

Mollari pokes his shoulder enthusiastically. “I do hope you'll change all your little sermons for me now, yes? Put some annotations in that book of yours? Perhaps a sequel. You could sell this one! They won't be expecting this twist, they'll be climbing all over you for answers.” He put on a mocking singsong voice. “'Wise Holy G'Kar, tell us how you achieved your Enlightenment!' 'Well,' you will say, 'it was all thanks to the man I so callously and foolishly called a Prideful Windcatcher!'”

 

“I'll say that, will I?”

 

“Yes! The next thing you know, one thing leads to another, and it's _'_ Tell us, Holy G'Kar, what is the  _Prideful Windcatcher_ like in the bedroom?'”

 

“They will _not_ ask that.”

 

“They _will._ You give them too much credit. And then you will be forced to say--”

 

“He is  _the same_ ,” G'Kar snaps, “plus six extra ways to be obnoxious, demanding, and pushy.”

 

The pillow hits G'Kar's face the second he pulls his hands away from his eyes, and the quick airy crash of the pillow all around his face is quickly replaced by the sound of Londo Mollari laughing.

 

It's probably healthy.

 


End file.
